Messi gave them hope, Messi gave them enough rope to hang themselves
Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 11.03.21. | 00:53
In the midst of Barcelona's do-or-die performance in Paris, the tiny Argentine firstly scored a screamer before missing the vital penalty. PSG are in the Champions League 1/4 finals
What if...
For a few minutes of tonight's Champions League tie in Paris, it seemed like history is about to repeat for PSG and Barca. After trashing the Catalan giants in the first leg (4-1) at Camp Nou, Paris Saint-Germain could almost smell the sense of fear among themselves, remembering that awful 6-1 crash a few years ago. Also in the return leg of the UCL. Also against Blaugrana. One of the heroes of that Barca's miraculous comeback was Lionel Messi.
The visitors' captain and one of the best players in history could have easily repeated his mastery at Parc des Princes stadium, but it was himself who killed the hope for Ronald Koeman's outfit after he gave them initial sensation that everything is possible. So he saw PSG going through to the UCL 1/4 finals (5-2 on aggregate).
From the very beginning, Blaugrana showed determination to deliver a complete comeback in this two-leg tie, keeping the ball in their possession for almost 70 per cent of the time. Serginho Dest's shot ended on a crossbar, Dembele missed two or three times, while Messi and Griezmann also caused severe problems for the Parisian's defence. However, in the midst of Barcelona's do-or-die performance, the English referee Anthony Taylor made some disputable calls that affected the final outcome. Firstly, he rewarded PSG with a penalty kick after Lenglet accidentally stepped on Icardi. Albeit Ter Stegen already got his hands on the ball, the ref decided the home team should be given a penalty. Mbappe was calm from the spot, and it was 1-0.
Nine out of ten teams would give up at that point, but the Catalans are made of a different material. The Argentine magician Leo Messi fired an unstoppable missile, a true screamer, tying the game in the middle of the first half, 1-1. Once he retires, we'll miss this sort of sorcery.
If that was a glimpse of hope arising on the shore for the visitors, then the penalty near the half-time break seemed like a true tipping point of the match that could be a prelude for shocking aftermath yet to come. Especially because Messi was the one to take it. But his long-range strike was much better than the one from the spot, Navas managed to get his touch on the ball and saved the penalty with a little help of the woodwork.
Unfortunately for both, Barcelona and all the neutral football fans, the second half lacked the energy and devotion of the visitors' players seen in the first half. Only a couple of solid chances - Messi's and Trincao's were not enough for Koeman's side to threaten Mauricio Pochettino's guys comfortable with a draw.
Without the necessary energy Messi and co. surrendered a little too early, obviously focusing already on the domestic championship where Atletico Madrid are still five steps ahead of them. If they lose that race also, this tumultuous season would end in a terrible way for Spanish giants.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - LAST 16 (SECOND LEG)
Tuesday
Juventus - Porto 2-2 (0-1) (first leg 1-2)
/Chiesa 49, 63 - Oliveira 19 (pen)/
Porto win 4-3 on aggregate
Borussia Dortmund - Sevilla 2-2 (1-0) (first leg 3-2)
/Haaland 35, 54 (pen) – En-Nesyri 68 (pen), 90+6/
Borussia Dortmund win 5-4 on aggregate
Wednesday
Liverpool - RB Leipzig 2-0 (0-0) (first leg 2-0)
/Salah 70, Mane 74/
Liverpool win 4-0 on aggregate
PSG - Barcelona 1-1 (1-1) (first leg 4-1)
/Mbappe 31 pen - Messi 37/
PSG win 5-2 on aggregate
